Black River, ST. ELIZABETH: The number of murders in the parish have almost doubled this year.The Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) of the Black River police station is reporting that 31 murders have occurred between January and September 2005. This represents 15 more than the 16 homicides that took place over the same period last year.
According to Detective Constable Derrick Taylor of the Black River CIB, 14 murders have been cleared up. 'Cleared up' means that the accused have been arrested and are before the courts while warrants have been issued in four of the cases.
The most recent murder committed was that of Derrick Black-wood, 56, farmer of Short Hill. He was brutally murdered just metres away from his veranda on the night of Thursday, September 22.
Rayon Dyer
May Pen, CLARENDON
Frank Miller, a detective corporal of police who was attached to the Mandeville CIB, walked free of a murder charge this week. He had been charged for the murder of Yvette Locke, 49-year-old businesswoman of May Pen, Clarendon.
The case outlined by Crown Counsel, D. Harrison, is that between May 1 and 2,2003, Miller murdered his girlfriend, Yvette Locke, and dumped her body along a dirt track in the parish.
The eight day trial which began on Monday, September 19 ended on Wednesday, September 28.
After hearing the testimonies of various individuals, including Ms. Locke's teenage daughter, a 12 member jury retired and returned a not guilty verdict.
Analee Bernard
Montego Bay, ST. JAMES
While the city of New Orleans is recovering from the massive devastation caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, it has joined forces with Jamaica to stage the first annual Jamaica/New Orleans Music and Food Festival on November 4-5 in Montego Bay.
Dubbed the 'Rhythm and Spice Fest', it is the city's first international event since its highly publicised crisis and will be a joint effort with Jamaica to lay the foundations for further trade development and co-operation. Planning for the festival was far advanced when disaster struck.
The event, which is endorsed by New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, will be an exciting two-day carnival of music, food and fashion featuring chefs, musicians and fashion models from Jamaica and New Orleans.
Listed venues include Margari-taville, the Montego Bay Cruise Shipping Pier and the Doctors Cave Beach. Part proceeds will be donated to the American New Orleans Fund (with specific focus on music and culture) as well as the AIDS Hospice in Montego Bay.
Monique Hepburn
Spanish Town, ST. CATHERINE
THE OFFICE of Disaster
Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) launched a training exercise in search and rescue and flood water manoeuvres on the Rio Cobre last Saturday, September 24.
According to Nadine Newson, director of information at the ODPEM, 50 persons will be trained on how to rescue persons from waters during a disaster. Ms. Newson told Across the Nation that persons are drawn from local residents especially those in the Rio Cobre area who have been rescuing people from the river, the Jamaica Defence Force, the Fisherman Corps, the Red Cross and the Police Marine Division and also the National Environment and Planning Agency.
A total of CDN$15,000 is being spent on the training of these persons, and the exercise was conducted by three expert divers and rescuers from the United States. The team was headed by Jim Seger Storm, who runs the Rescue Three, one of the biggest rescue services in the United States.
Rasbert Turner
Mandeville, MANCHESTER
Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke, endorsed the Manchester Homecoming celebrations during a function at a regional mobilisation meeting of the Jamaica Home Coming Foundation, held at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville recently.
However, the Jamaica Home-coming 2005 celebrations will eclipse the Manchester Homing celebrations to be held during the same week. The Jamaica Home-coming will be holding its opening church service at the Northern Caribbean University on Saturday, October 15.
Angelo Laurence
Walderston, MANCHESTER
THE CHRISTIANA Ministers Fraternal, comprising 25 churches, held an award ceremony at the Zorn Moravian Church to honour members of the police force, the fire brigade and nurses of the local health district last Sunday afternoon.
Eighty-five persons drawn from the three departments were presented with certificates as well as plaques for each celebrated department.
"We have put on this service to recognise the police, the fire brigade and the nurses in the health sector and to highlight the sterling contribution they have been making in this community. We know that many times their service goes unnoticed and so as a fraternal we have decided to highlight them," said Fraternal Chairman Rev. Donald Johnson.
Rev. Johnson, who is a teacher, a Justice of the Peace as well as pastor of the Grace Temple Apostolic Church of God, welcomed the guests and did the introductions.
Senior Superintendent of Police Herman Brown from Area III headquarters was also present.
Byron McDaniel
Boscobel, ST. MARY
Chairman of the Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments (JAVA), Vana Taylor, wants the Government to increase the
current budget of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) from just under US$30 million to US$50 million.
She said this increase would put the JTB in a better position to do a more effective job in marketing and monitoring the operations of the local stock of resort properties.
She said other Caribbean islands competing in the tourism market are spending far more than Jamaica to market their tourism products and have been reaping the benefits.
Speaking in an interview with Across the Nation this week, Ms. Taylor said that a financially strong JTB is necessary at this time, especially in light of the increasing competition and challenges that will be presented by the influx of Spanish hotel chains into the island.
Devon Evans
